The new Pokémon DLC has an awesome story, but it also has tons of performance issues

SHOULD I PLAY POKÉMON SCARLET & VIOLET - THE TEAL MASK DLC?

You should definitely play this one if you enjoyed Pokémon Scarlet & Violet, but if you weren’t a big fan of the latest Pokémon games, you might want to pass. The Teal Mask is the first half of The Hidden Treasures of Area Zero DLC. It has all the qualities that made Scarlet & Violet great, but it also has the same flaws. I was hoping that Pokémon’s tech issues would be resolved by this point, but unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to be the case. That said, I had a blast exploring this new region, and if you can look past the frame rate drops, pop-in, and other performance problems, you’ll probably have a great time too.

TIME PLAYED

I spent around six hours playing through the Teal Mask storyline in Pokémon Violet, which was enough time to finish the story and add plenty of new Pokémon to my dex. I’m one of those weirdos that buys both versions of Pokémon games, so I also checked out Scarlet’s version of this DLC. There are a few minor differences between them, like version-exclusive Pokémon and unique outfits, but they’re basically the same thing, so there’s no need to buy the DLC twice.

WHAT’S AWESOME ABOUT POKÉMON SCARLET & VIOLET - THE TEAL MASK?

• Fun stories and characters. I was genuinely charmed by the writing in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet, and The Teal Mask continues that trend. Even though fall is quickly approaching, this DLC made me feel like I was on summer vacation. I missed the Scarlet & Violet cast, but the DLC’s new characters absolutely stole my heart, especially the shy, ogre-loving Kieran. I wanted to hug him every time he said “Wowzers.”

• Awesome new Pokémon. The Teal Mask adds ten creatures to Pokémon’s already massive roster, and all of them are pretty fantastic. Some of them, like the matcha-themed Poltchageist and candied apple Dipplin, are variations on existing critters, but others are entirely new. I know some people think there are too many Pokémon, but I always want new monsters to catch.

The Teal Mask has also brought back some familiar faces, like Vulpix, Chimecho, and Snorlax. In total, there are 102 additional Pokémon to catch. I’m not crazy about the way newer Pokémon games have cut certain creatures from the roster, but I am glad to have more monsters to play around with.

• New accessories and hairstyles. The lack of dress-up options was one of the most disappointing things about Scarlet & Violet, so I was thrilled to discover that the DLC gave me lots of new clothes to play with. In addition to new school uniforms, The Teal Mask presented me with a special card stating that I was a true fashionista. When I visited shops with the card in hand, they showed me their expanded catalog. My character had been wearing the same outfit for quite a while, so it was nice to have an excuse to switch things up.

WHAT SUCKS ABOUT POKÉMON SCARLET & VIOLET - THE TEAL MASK?

• Lots of performance issues. The Teal Mask runs just as badly as Scarlet & Violet did, which is incredibly disappointing. I didn’t encounter any game breaking bugs, but the problems I did encounter definitely destroyed my immersion. My framerate plummeted whenever I walked into a field full of Pokémon, and when I arrived at a colorful festival, I could see NPCs loading in. Scarlet & Violet isn’t a graphical powerhouse by any stretch of the imagination, and it’s frustrating that it still performs so poorly.

• It’s pretty short. The Teal Mask is only the first part of The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero DLC, so there’s more content to come, but I was still a little sad to be done with it so quickly. The second half of the DLC isn’t set to arrive until April 2024, so I was hoping it would tide me over for longer. I still have quite a few Pokémon to catch, but Teal Mask’s story and setting are terrific, and I wish I could have enjoyed them a little longer.

💬 Will you be checking out Scarlet & Violet: The Teal Mask, or do you need a break from Pokémon? Share your favorite Pokémon in the comments!